GONG SHOW: Lock and Load…

Fri, 11/17/2017 - 11:19am

By

Rhonda Annesley, Editor-in-Chief

rhonda@samoanews.com

In one of his recent cabinet meetings, Gov. Lolo told his directors and agency heads that part of his duty, with the Lt. Gov. Lemanu, as the territory's leaders, are to ensure the government is creating more jobs for the people.

This is true — only not by hiring more people than you have money to pay them… GONG!

That particular road is called fiduciary irresponsibility and creates a culture of gatekeepers, protecting their little piece of the pie, instead of innovative and creative thinkers who will bring new ideas and money to the table, to allow our island-economy to thrive.

It’s about creating job opportunities in the community through policies that encourage the private sector to invest in expanding services and goods offered in the Territory, as well as bring new businesses to the island.

Not taxing the hell out of us in the private sector to make sure the government can make its payroll and pay its bills.

And, it’s not about creating an environment that uses racial profiling to prove a point.

For example, Samoa News was told that the Department of Health inspectors are going into Asian stores with Department of Homeland Security officers? They are asking for IDs — under the guise of health permits, as well as Immigration clearances.

Samoa News has been told it’s because of the drug problem as the DPS and DHS as well as others in the Lolo Admin are spouting that the conduit is the ‘Chinese’ (Samoan language uses the word “Saina” to identify all people of Asian descent.)

Whatever the reason for these DOH/ DHS forays — you have a problem — it’s called due process under the law. You don’t get to go in and search premises under the guise of ‘cleaning toilets’ — no matter how bad they smell… GONG!

My final rant for the week:

Have you seen those electronic billboards along the Tafuna- airport road and Fagaalu village? I’m told they are owned by the Department of Health.

Never mind the driver safety issues — let’s talk about how billboards are illegal in the territory — and how the government is now taking business away from the private sector. Where are we supposed to get the money to pay the government’s new taxes?

What next?

Should we be scared that when “they” come knocking on our doors they have no warrant and instead, they will just be “locked and loaded” to ask us for our birth certificates?

Remember… some DHS officials are now certified to carry arms… maybe arming Health Inspectors is not too far down the road… GONG!